The use of wireless communication devices has increased dramatically in recent years. With the increased number of subscribers for wireless communication services, channel availability has become scarce. Considerable effort has been made to increase channel capacity to meet the increased demand. While channel availability has reached capacity at peak periods during which many subscribers occupy channels, excess channel capacity typically exists at off-peak periods, or during other periods of non-use, such as during a handoff.
In response to the excess channel capacity during offpeak periods, systems have been considered for transmitting packet data. One such system is the Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) network contemplated by a number of cellular service providers as set forth in the Cellular Digital Packet Data System Specification, Release 1.0, Jul. 19, 1993 or Release 1.1, Jan. 19, 1995, available from the CDPD Industry Input Coordinator, 650 Town Center Drive, Suite 820, Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626.
Presently, data packets transmitted on a CDPD network are transmitted by way dedicated data equipment, such a stand alone CDPD equipment. While conventional communication devices, such as cellular subscriber equipment, could be modified to include circuitry for transmitting data packets, such communication devices must have a means for switching between the two modes of operation. This could be achieved by having a physical switch or a user selectable mode of operation in the communication device for communicating on a cellular network or transmitting data on a data network. However, such manual switching or selection by the user is not only inconvenient, but also has performance limitations. That is, manual switching does not take advantage of dormant periods of operation in a data network.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for selectively switching between systems of the communication device to efficiently utilize channel capacity. There is a further need for a method and apparatus which automatically switches between the transmission of data packets and transmission of voice signals in cellular communication. Finally, there is a need for providing user prompts to enable efficient use of a communication device capable of transmitting and receiving both voice and data.